Updated 21 July 2017
We carried out this announced inspection on 12 July 2017 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. We planned the inspection to check whether the registered provider was meeting the legal requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations. The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser.
To get to the heart of patients’ experiences of care and treatment, we always ask the following five questions:
• Is it safe?
• Is it effective?
• Is it caring?
• Is it responsive to people’s needs?
• Is it well-led?
These questions form the framework for the areas we look at during the inspection.
Our findings were:
Are services safe?
We found that this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services effective?
We found that this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services caring?
We found that this practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services responsive?
We found that this practice was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services well-led?
We found that this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Background
Bhandal Dental Practice – Ombersley Road is in Worcester and provides predominantly NHS treatment with some private treatment options to patients of all ages.
The practice is accessed via a ramp giving access to the ground floor for patients who use wheelchairs and pushchairs. The building is split over three storeys. The ground floor of the practice consists of a reception area, a waiting room, and one dental treatment room. On the first floor there is a decontamination room for the cleaning, sterilising and packing of dental instruments, two dental treatment rooms and toilet facilities. In the basement there is a staff kitchen. There are no car parking spaces directly outside the building however parking on local streets is permitted. This practice is in a group with over 40 other midlands based practices where patients can be seen if they require disabled access and facilities that are not available at this practice.
The dental team includes three dentists, four qualified dental nurses, two trainee dental nurses, one receptionist and a practice manager. The dental team are further supported by a dedicated team based in their Head Office in Cradley Heath. The practice has three treatment rooms.
The practice is owned by a partnership and as a condition of registration must have a person registered with the Care Quality Commission as the registered manager. Registered managers have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the practice is run. At the time of the inspection the practice did not have a registered manager in post as the provider was submitting an application to register the practice manager.
On the day of inspection we collected 48 CQC comment cards filled in by patients and reviewed the most recent practice survey results. This information gave us a positive view of the practice.
During the inspection we spoke with one dentist, one qualified dental nurse, one trainee dental nurse, one receptionist, the clinical governance manager for the business and the practice manager. We looked at practice policies and procedures and other records about how the service is managed.
The practice is open:
Monday to Thursday – 9am to 6pm
Friday – 9am to 5.30pm
Saturday – 9am to 12.30pm
Our key findings were:
- The practice was clean and well maintained.
- The practice had well organised systems to assess and manage infection prevention and control which reflected published guidance.
- Staff knew how to deal with emergencies. Appropriate medicines and life-saving equipment were available.
- The practice had systems including audits to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the services provided.
- The practice had suitable safeguarding processes and staff knew their responsibilities for safeguarding adults and children.
- The practice had thorough staff recruitment procedures to help them ensure the suitability of staff they employed.
- The clinical staff provided patients’ care and treatment in line with current guidelines.
- Staff treated patients with dignity and respect and took care to protect their privacy and personal information.
- The appointment system met patients’ needs.
- The practice had effective leadership. Staff felt involved and worked well as a team.
- The practice asked staff and patients for feedback about the services they provided.
- The practice dealt with complaints positively and efficiently.